Hey, there mommy; isn’t it exciting to notice that you have waddled into the 29th week of your pregnancy? Along with your excitement, your baby, your swollen hands, feet and, of course, your bump are all growing. You may feel that you cannot get any larger without your skin bursting, but hang in there. Your body is flexible enough for giving birth. It will stretch and mould according to the demands of pregnancy and childbirth. You should know that every change taking place in your body is essential.

You have one of the greatest miracles of the world in the making at present, yet this is one of those times when you feel awed by life and humbled by this new role. Meryl Streep put it out so well when she said, “Motherhood has a very humanizing effect. Everything gets reduced to essentials”.

29 Weeks Pregnant – Changes In Your Body:

It is time now for your feet to disappear below your growing belly when you are in a standing position. It is the time when you discover what pr

egnancy and growing belly really mean. From week 29 to the day of delivery, your baby is going to grow double in size. Get ready for more growth of the bump in the coming weeks. Apart from these natural growing changes, you may find some pregnancy related symptoms and signs in your body as well.

Since the uterus is growing at a rapid pace and developing into the rib cage, you may find it hard to take a deep breath. You can feel the fundus (uterus) about 4 inches above your belly button now.

The uterus is exerting pressure on the other end as well, bearing down on your bladder and pelvic region. Frequent urination, leg cramps, pains and aches are not new to you anymore. Sigh!

The changes in hormone levels will leave your skin dry, itchy and also with some rashes. Do not scratch, no matter how tempting it is. Find a good moisturizer that can keep your skin hydrated and healthy. If things get out of hand, consult your healthcare provider.

Severe itching during pregnancy can also be a sign of a rare liver disorder known as obstetric cholestasis. You need not panic at every itch you feel, which is common during pregnancy.

You may need to use breast pads from now since the colostrum may leak and stain your dress. Some women may never need any protection, and you could be one among them as well. Be prepared for it.

Your nipples may become darker. The veins of your breast will show through the skin.

Be alert for the symptoms of urinary tract infection, since your body is more susceptible to UTIs in the third trimester of your pregnancy.

Heartburn and indigestion may not just bother you during the day, but they may keep you awake in the night as well. Keep away from heavy meals. Eat smaller portions of light nutritious food whenever you feel hungry.

Take special measures to deal with constipation and hemorrhoids, which are common features of the third semester of your pregnancy. Increase your fluid intake along with good fibrous foods to handle this problem. Yogurt will help in managing constipation and hemorrhoids to a great extent.

[ Read: Constipation During Pregnancy ]

Blame those hormones again for the dry and brittle nails which seem to grow by every hour now. You may have to give them some extra attention during your pregnancy. How about making this an excuse to indulge in pedicure and manicure?

When your partner tells you that you are looking hot, do not rebuff him. The core temperature of your body may increase slightly due to increased blood volume. Hence, he is right when he says you are hot.

[ Read: Manicure During Pregnancy ]

Varicose Veins:

You may have to take care of the varicose veins during pregnancy. They are known to affect nearly 40% of pregnant women. If they were present before your pregnancy, they might get worse now. If not, they may appear at some stage in your pregnancy. There is nothing much to be worried about these swollen blood vessels, other than you may have to pack away those lovely short dresses that flaunted your legs for a while. You may be one of those lucky women who get away without any varicose veins showing up at all during the entire duration of the pregnancy.

The reasons for the appearance of varicose veins during pregnancy are:

Growing pressure on the pelvic veins.

Relaxation of muscles by the hormonal changes.

Standing on your feet for a long period.

Varicose veins can be painful for some women. More than treating them, it is better to avoid them in the first place. Doing regular exercise and refraining from sitting or standing for a long time will help in the prevention of varicose veins. The mantra is to keep the blood circulating through those veins freely.

In the case of extreme discomfort, you can use a special hose that helps in managing the varicose veins. Your healthcare provider can help you with further guidance and medications if required.